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Saudi Arabia To Build 150,000 EVs Annually By 2026

In a bid to cut dependence on oil production and meet sustainable goals, the Kingdom will utilize its 61% share of startup Lucid Motors.

Published

2 years ago

on

Lucid Motors

Although Saudi Arabia is well-known as one of the world’s largest oil producers, the Kingdom has recently unveiled plans to build and export electric vehicles.

As part of the country’s “Vision 2030” strategy, the oil-rich nation will export over 150,000 EVs in 2026 to meet emissions targets and continue building a stable economy.

Although oil accounts for over 50% of Saudi Arabia’s GDP, the government is keen to diversify the economy to avoid market volatility and keep the nation’s industrial output current in a post-carbon world.

The move comes as countries worldwide continue to reduce carbon emissions and their reliance on fossil fuels. 2022 is turning out to be a record year for renewables, with research indicating that alternative energy sources entirely covered rising global energy demands in the first half of the year.

As this trend is almost certain to continue, Saudi Arabia aims to reduce its reliance on oil production dramatically, lowering the percentage of GDP from oil from 50% to 17%.

The Lucid Motors Partnership

lucid motors manufacturing plant saudi arabia

Saudi Arabia recently hit the headlines after its decision with OPEC+ to cut oil production, and now the nation is aiming its sights on a new market with EVs. Earlier this year, the Kingdom announced that it had committed to purchasing 50,000+ EVs from Lucid Motors after Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) invested over $1 billion in the EV startup in 2018, resulting in a 61% stake in the company.

According to Khalid Al-Faith, Minister of Investments, construction begins at Lucid’s EV manufacturing plant in May 2023.

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UAE Prepares To Launch Two Satellites: Thuraya-2 And MBZ-SAT

HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council yesterday.

Published

5 days ago

on

December 17, 2024

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uae prepares to launch two satellites thuraya-2 and mbz-sat

HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council in Dubai on December 16, 2024. The session highlighted the UAE’s ambitious space plans and took stock of the sector’s economic progress.

The council emphasized the growing role of private companies in advancing space technologies, noting that their contributions are now equal to that of the public sector. Members also praised initiatives like the Space Economic Zones Programme, which are designed to fuel innovation and investment in the space industry.

Discussing the UAE’s space journey, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum remarked, “The national space sector continues to grow and advance, and we take immense pride in the remarkable achievements we have accomplished over the years”.

Sheikh Hamdan also received updates on two upcoming satellite projects: Thuraya-2 and MBZ-SAT. Thuraya-2, developed by Space42, is slated for launch this December. Meanwhile, the MBZ-SAT, created by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), will soon follow. MBRSC, a major driver of the UAE National Space Programme, continues to lead the nation’s space-related developments.

Space42 took the opportunity to showcase its advancements, including ongoing collaborations between public and private entities. The company also outlined strategies to promote innovation, boost revenue streams, and create new opportunities for growth in the sector.

Also Read: IBM Opens New Doha Office To Support Qatar’s Digital Growth

The UAE’s current projects build on a growing legacy of space exploration. Back in 2020, the nation made headlines with its Mars mission, successfully sending a probe into the planet’s orbit in 2021. This mission, which is now in its second phase as of June 2024, has been collecting critical data to develop a comprehensive diurnal image of Mars.

The UAE also ventured into lunar exploration with an unmanned mission aimed at studying untouched regions of the Moon’s surface. While the probe ultimately crashed during its landing attempt after communication was lost seconds before touchdown, the effort represented a significant step in the country’s exploration ambitions.

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